Recycling plastic to make clothes

In the world, there are more than 380 million tonnes of plastic every years wasted and generally rejected in the ocean. Fortunately, more and more measures are taken against this. Example of two startups that came up with some ways to recycle plastic in the goal of getting a new utility to it.

Dgrade is a startup that was created in 2010 in Dubai. They take a lead ​in recycling plastic which is found by the bottles, jars or even coffee-cups and then, transform it into small fibers. They produce clothes such as t-shirts, polos, backpacks, caps,uniforms ​…
Founder Kris Barber, has over 30 years manufacturing experience in both conventional and recycled fabrics. Having worked with blue chip companies in the UK using recycled PET, he decided to bring this model to the UAE. Then, he provided a sustainable manufacturing solution for clothing and make a positive environmental impact by diverting local plastic waste from landfill. Moreover, Dgrade’s ​process consumes around 50% less energy than the manufacture of conventional polyester and produces 55% less carbon emissions.

Kear’s is a Quebec brand that produces handmade jerseys and sandals for men and women. Rose Guillemette, a 21 years old entrepreneur from Quebec is the creator of Kear’s and she wanted to have a positive impact on the planet by recycling and respecting the environment. Her work is to design sportswear (sandals, coats, swimwear), made from recycled plastic fibers, from water bottles, and fishing nets that flood our oceans and the threaten aquatic life. She decided to take this action after a trip to Guatemala that showed the huge quantity of plastic waste in the country. Then, her vision of recycling completely changed by seeing the reality that plastic is a huge problem for the environment. After several years of research and many hours of work, Kear’s was born.

After only 6 months of online sales, her virtual store has recycled the equivalent of more than 14,000 bottles of water. She would soon like to design caps from 100% recycled cotton.

Recycling is also Zeloop’s goal, a start-up that is currently developing an application which should be operational by the end of the year in France after a test phase carried out in Dubai during the spring.
This gaming application will contribute to recycle plastic bottles by bringing them to a collection point and will reward users of the application. ZELOOP will also own a forum where your tips to contribute to the circular economy could be shared. The more you collect and contribute to the community, the more you receive rewards!

Related posts:

There is only one purpose you should focus in your life: being happy. But guess what? You cannot be happy until you give some things up, it is a process you have to learn and live by yourself.

I am not a social scientist, but I do observe people — although not directly but through my skeptical eyes of their social media feeds. My recent observations have made me feel bad about the society…

In order to lose weight, your body must burn more calories than it takes in, but keep in mind that your body needs calories for energy and when you exercise, your body needs even more calories…